Our Beliefs
The Bible
The sole basis of our belief is the Bible, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testament. We believe that Scripture originated entirely from God and that it was given through writers inspired by God. Scripture speaks with the authority of God, and yet at the same time, reflects the backgrounds, styles and vocabularies of the human authors. The Scriptures are presented exactly as God intended and without error in the original manuscripts. They are the unique, full, and final authority on all matters of faith and practice and there are no other writings similarly given by God.
God
We believe that there is one true, holy god, eternally existing in three persons-Father, Son and Holy Spirit-each of Whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality. In the beginning, God created the world and all things therein out of nothing, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom, and goodness. By His sovereign power He continues to sustain His creation. By His providence-His loving and caring guidance-God operates throughout time to fulfill His redemptive purposes.
Salvation
The central purpose of God's plan in history is to break people from Satan's grasp and call them into fellowship with Himself. The human race was originally created to have fellowship with God but through Adam and Eve, humanity defied God, choosing to be independent, and was thus alienated from Him. The consequences of this rebellion from God is the corruption of human nature, so that people are not acceptable to Him. Such separation from God produces people who are self-centered, without purpose and who ultimately will be separated from Him for eternity. This separation and its consequences impacts all individuals and means all are in need of the saving grace of God.
The salvation of any person is wholly a work of God's free grace. Salvation is never the result, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness. Salvation is personally realized when one repents from sin and accepts, through faith alone, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. When God begins a saving work in the heart of any person, He gives assurance in His Word that He will continue performing it until the day of its full consummation.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is the eternal second person of the Godhead-Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He was united with a true human nature by a miraculous conception and virgin birth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to the Father and voluntarily made amends for the sins of people, making possible a right relationship with God. He died on the cross as a substitute for sinful mankind, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone.
Jesus rose from the dead in the same body, now glorified, in which He lived and died. He ascended into heaven, where He, as mediator, continually intercedes with God the Father for His own-those who have received salvation. He shall come again to earth, personally and visibly, to bring history and the eternal plan of God to completion.
Christian Life & the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit was sent into the world by the Father and the Son. A genuine saving relationship with Jesus Christ is evidenced by a life impacted by the presence of the Holy Spirit. Before salvation, the Holy Spirit enlightens the minds of sinners and awakens in them a recognition of their need for a Savior. At the point of salvation, the Holy Spirit permanently indwells all believers, seals them into the family of God and gives them specific endowments, called the gifts of the Spirit, to build up the church and help it pursue its mission. Further, when believers yield to the control of the Holy Spirit they will gain an assurance in their relationship with Christ, a desire for fellowship with other Christians, a new value system that aligns them with God's moral statutes, wisdom to discern what God wants them to do, and strength to do it.
Humanity & their Future
Death seals the eternal destiny of each person. For all humankind, there will be a resurrection of the body into the spiritual world and a judgment that will determine the fate of each individual. All who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be received into eternal communion with God. All who have rejected Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior will be separated from God for eternity.
The Church
The result of union with Jesus Christ is that all believers become members of His body, the church. The one true church is composed of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Wherever God's people meet regularly, there is the local expression of the church. Under the watchful care of elders, pastors and other supportive leadership, its members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ. The Scripture commands believers to gather in order to worship, pray, fellowship, teach, observe baptism and communion, serve within the body, and reach out to the world.
Faith & Practice
Scripture is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice. The church recognizes that it cannot bind the conscience of individual members in an area where Scripture is silent. Rather, in these areas each believer should seek the wise counsel of others in the church and then be led by the Lord, to whom he or she is ultimately responsible.
Our Practices
Baptism
Christians who understand what the Bible teaches about Christ's death and forgiveness, and have made a commitment to follow Him as their Lord and Savior are qualified to be baptized. Though baptism is not an actual part of the salvation process we believe that all who have accepted Christ should, as an act of obedience to God, be baptized. Because we believe baptism is only for those who have personally made a commitment to follow Christ we do not practice infant baptism. We believe and practice water baptism by immersion as it best symbolizes the believer's identification with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We expect those who wish to become partners with East Lake to have experienced a believer's baptism. Everyone being baptized will be required to attend a class or meet with a pastor to prepare for baptism.
>Listen to Kevin's Message about Baptism given January 20, 2008.
>Sign Up to get baptized.
Communion
God has commanded us to remember Christ's death by practicing communion on a regular basis. It is a personal remembrance and celebration of Christ's death for our sins as symbolized by the bread and the cup. Believers will be encouraged to examine their hearts and relationships before taking part in communion. Participation in communion with an unbelieving or superficial heart attitude or unattended broken relationships may lead to God's discipline. Those who believe that they are not ready to participate in communion may choose to refrain from eating the bread or drinking the cup. Families will determine when their children understand the significance of communion and should participate. East Lake generally celebrates communion on the first Sunday of each month during all 3 services.
Child Dedication
As a church we recognize that children are an incredible blessing. We want to nurture and develop children so that they will experience the love of God and follow his principles. Child dedication is an opportunity for the parents and the church body to join together in their commitment to raise a child in accordance with God's will and the Bible. We do not believe that a child dedication is an actual part of the child's salvation. Child dedications are performed at our services and parents should contact the church office if they are interested.
Giving
Our church is financially autonomous from any organization and as such is 100% financed by the tithes and offerings of its people. We believe that joyfully giving to support a local congregation is expected and commanded by God. To give with a cheerful heart is part of worship. We also believe that the church leadership has a responsibility to steward income with integrity, honesty, openness and wisdom. Church membership will be apprised of the financial position of the church on a regular basis.
Our Vision
East Lake Values:
Read about Mission.
Read about Attraction.
Read about Community.
Read about Transformation.
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